Systems And Methods For Visualizing Building Architectures And Applications Thereof

Abstract

The present invention provides tools for 2-D and 3-D visualization of exterior and interior environment information based on the architecture of buildings. Applications of the visualization are also described, including, for example, gaming applications and emergency response applications.

1 . A method comprising:
 scanning a tangible document comprising a blueprint for a building structure, thereby producing a two-dimensional digital representation of the building structure within a digital electronic device;   identifying within the digital representation of the building structure a plurality of first features representing walls within the building structure;   creating one or more first data structures representing said plurality of first features, wherein said one or more data structures contain data reflecting the size, location, and orientation of each represented wall;   identifying within the digital representation of the building structure one or more second features representing doors, entryways, passages, or windows within the building structure;   creating one or more second data structures representing said one or more second features, wherein said one or more second data structures contain data reflecting the location of each represented doors, entryways, passages, or windows;   creating one or more third data structures representing one or more emergency features selected from the group consisting of water shut off valves, natural gas shut off valves, electrical panels, electrical shut-off switches, machinery shut-off switches, and sprinkler system connections, wherein said one or more third data structures contain data reflecting the location of said one or more emergency features within the building structure; and   storing the first data structures, second data structures, and third data structures within a digital medium.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 on a pixel-based electronic display device, producing an interactive visual representation comprising:
 one or more first graphical representations of said one or more first data structures; 
 one or more second graphical representations of said one or more second data structures; 
 one or more third graphical representations of said one or more third data structures; and 
 one or more fourth graphical representations of one or more structures external to the building structure, wherein said one or more fourth representations are constructed from map data received from an online digital map service; 
   wherein said first, second, and third representations are visually distinct.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 updating a point of view within a first person, three-dimensional virtual environment in real time based on input from a game controller;   wherein the three-dimensional virtual environment is the interactive visual representation, and wherein said first, second, and third representations are each three-dimensional polygon models.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the interactive visual representation further comprises a fifth representation of the location of a device comprising a positioning system. 
     
     
         5 . A system comprising:
 a digital electronic device;   means for scanning a tangible document comprising a blueprint for a building structure, thereby producing a two-dimensional digital representation of the building structure within the digital electronic device;   means for identifying within the digital representation of the building structure a plurality of first features representing walls within the building structure;   means for creating one or more first data structures representing said plurality of first features, wherein said one or more data structures contain data reflecting the size, location, and orientation of each represented wall;   means for identifying within the digital representation of the building structure one or more second features representing doors, entryways, passages, or windows within the building structure;   means for creating one or more second data structures representing said one or more second features, wherein said one or more second data structures contain data reflecting the location of each represented doors, entryways, passages, or windows;   means for creating one or more third data structures representing one or more emergency features selected from the group consisting of water shut off valves, natural gas shut off valves, electrical panels, electrical shut-off switches, machinery shut-off switches, and sprinkler system connections, wherein said one or more third data structures contain data reflecting the location of said one or more emergency features within the building structure; and   a digital medium for storing the first data structures, second data structures, and third data structures.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a pixel-based electronic display device;   means for producing an interactive visual representation on the display device;   means for producing within the interactive visual representation one or more first graphical representations of said one or more first data structures;   means for producing within the interactive visual representation one or more second graphical representations of said one or more second data structures;   means for producing within the interactive visual representation one or more third graphical representations of said one or more third data structures; and   means for producing within the interactive visual representation one or more fourth graphical representations of one or more structures external to the building structure, wherein said one or more fourth representations are constructed from map data received from an online digital map service;   wherein said first, second, and third representations are visually distinct.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 means for updating a point of view within the first person, three-dimensional virtual environment in real time based on input from a game controller;   wherein the three-dimensional virtual environment is a first person is the interactive visual representation, and wherein said first, second, and third representations are each three-dimensional polygon models.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising means for producing within the interactive visual representation a fifth representation of the location of a device comprising a positioning system. 
     
     
         9 . A method comprising:
 on a pixel-based electronic display device, producing an interactive visual representation comprising:
 one or more first graphical representations of one or more first data structures produced by (a) scanning a tangible document comprising a blueprint for a building structure, thereby producing a two-dimensional digital representation of the building structure within a digital electronic device; (b) identifying within the digital representation of the building structure a plurality of first features representing walls within the building structure; and (c) creating one or more first data structures representing said plurality of first features, wherein said one or more data structures contain data reflecting the size, location, and orientation of each represented wall; 
 one or more second graphical representations of one or more second data structures produced by (d) identifying within the digital representation of the building structure one or more second features representing doors, entryways, passages, or windows within the building structure; and (e) creating one or more second data structures representing said one or more second features, wherein said one or more second data structures contain data reflecting the location of each represented doors, entryways, passages, or windows; 
 one or more third graphical representations of one or more third data structures representing one or more emergency features selected from the group consisting of water shut off valves, natural gas shut off valves, electrical panels, electrical shut-off switches, machinery shut-off switches, and sprinkler system connections, wherein said one or more third data structures contain data reflecting the location of said one or more emergency features within the building structure; and 
 one or more fourth graphical representations of one or more structures external to the building structure, wherein said one or more fourth representations are constructed from map data received from an online digital map service; 
   wherein said first data structures, second data structures, and third data structures are stored within a digital medium; and   wherein said first, second, and third representations are visually distinct.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 updating a point of view within a first person, three-dimensional virtual environment in real time based on input from a game controller;   wherein the three-dimensional virtual environment is the interactive visual representation, and wherein said first, second, and third representations are each three-dimensional polygon models.